


It Happened on St. Peter Street

by Point_of_no_return



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Champagne, Comfort, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Delirium, Don't Move, Drinking, Embrace, Fluff, French Quarter, Hallucinations, M/M, New Orleans, Recovery, Sight-seeing, Wedding Fluff, Whump, Whumptober 2019, ex boyfriends, laced drink, stay with me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-02 06:57:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21157496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Point_of_no_return/pseuds/Point_of_no_return
Summary: For this Whumptober fic, a joyous occasion is interrupted by an altercation at a famous bar in the Southern United States. A day of whimsy and merriment turns into a total nightmare for our characters.





	1. hit me like a hurricane

**Author's Note:**

> **WARNING!** This story contains the mention of Rohypnol. Everything will be okay in the end, this is all based on experiences I have had in NOLA and it was just an experience I wanted to write about. Totally fine if this isn’t the story for you. 
> 
> Thank you to beta [vanillahigh00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanillahigh00/pseuds/vanillahigh00) who held my hand through this thing. It is also her birthday, so happiest of birthdays! xo

Quaint string quartets were positioned on multiple streets, some more skilled than others. A parade of wedding guests flowed along Magazine street towards Decatur. A small smile crept over David’s face as he looked down and fiddled with the gold rings on his left hand. 

“Babe, are you feeling nervous?” Patrick asked and stilled his hand. 

“Nervous? No, it’s just my baby sister. What is there..to ..uhh...be nervous about?” 

“Exactly, she’s your baby sister, but Ted is a good man. He will take good care of her,” Patrick soothed. 

“Oh, yeah, I know. It’s just weird, you know? I used to be her super hero. Now she has a new Iron Captain to take care of her.” 

Patrick chuckled. “I think you mean ‘Iron Man,’ or ‘Captain America,’ but I’ll let that one slide for now.” Patrick patted David’s thigh and intertwined their hands. 

The limo pulled up at [The Court of Two Sisters](https://www.courtoftwosisters.com/uploads/images/1.jpg.pagespeed.ce.VnLyfTArsh.jpg) on 613 Royal Street. The men had their own limousine apart from the ladies. Patrick and David were groomsmen and looked dapper in their matching dark grey suits, which Moira kept commenting all throughout the day. 

Alexis looked radiant in her [Maggie Sottero](https://www.maggiesottero.com/rebecca-ingram/amy/16199) wedding gown with intricate beading along the plunging back and shoulders. Ted had a [similar suit](http://www.menssuitstips.com/choosing-wedding-suits-2019/dark-grey-men-wedding-suit/) to the groomsmen, but his bow-tie, pocket square, and cummerbund were a lighter shade of grey with a simple gathering of baby’s breath on his lapel. Even David and Patrick could barely breathe when he walked into the room. 

Johnny walked Alexis down the aisle to Alexis’ and Ted’s favorite jazz song, “Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. It was the most perfect Autumn mid-morning and although it was one of the happiest days for the Rose Family, there wasn’t a dry eye in the courtyard. Patrick sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” with his guitar while they shared communion. David officiated per Alexis’ request.The ceremony was over within 45 minutes after the exchange of rings and Ted’s dramatic dip-kiss to his new wife. It was time to party! 

Coordinators of ‘The Court’ flipped the courtyard while guests made their way through the vast buffet lines, and through the foyer to congratulate and share blessings with the new bride and groom. Patrick took noticed the number of crab-cakes on his plate along with the shrimp etouffee, crab legs, lobster pasta, amuse Bouche, scallops linguine, and crawfish boudin. 

“You know this is brunch, David,” Patrick said smugly. 

“I’m aware,” David retorted. 

“It’s also a [buffet,](https://tsholmbergfoodie.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/img_64311.jpg) so you can always come back.” Patrick shook his head at his fiancé and moved down the line towards the fruit which David managed to add to his mountain on his plate. 

“If you think this is my only trip to this line, then you must really not know me at all,” David said with a scoff. 

Patrick patted David’s back and moved to closer to Moira who barely had more than a salad on her plate. The Roses were unique and Patrick knew that early on. He also knew that marrying into this family was going to be an adventure he was thrilled to ride. 

They walked back to the wedding party table to eat their brunch and Patrick, ever the gentleman, pulled the chair out for David and scooted him in easily. Patrick took his seat and watched as several tiny birds flew over their heads in the courtyard and into the cherry blossoms among the trees. It was a fall day, but felt so much more like spring, which reminded Patrick that his wedding to David was just months away. Patrick wanted to make sure that there were draping Sakura cherry blossoms hanging over his and David's heads. Patrick had researched that the Sakura stood for ‘the fragility and beauty of life.’ 

As far as receptions go, this one wasn’t the grandiose event that was Alexis’ Sweet 16 when MTV had filmed the whole evening and Johnny had gifted her a [2002 H2](https://www.deviantart.com/prismadragonfly/art/Pink-Hummer-52738947) in the hot pink shade she had begged him for. No, this was minimalistic with a smaller band playing upbeat jazz music which was what brought Ted and Alexis to New Orleans in the first place. Aside from the vast array of seafood with which they could consume, the music was super special to the bride and groom. Their first dance was “Come Fly With Me,” by Frank Sinatra which Ted effortlessly moved Alexis all around the courtyard swinging her around adding in tiny dips from time to time. 

David gave a few toasts which turned out to be slightly awkward and cringey, Ted’s father blessed the crowd with a drunken speech riddled with dad jokes and puns, and Moira carried on for ten minutes with her own dissertation of the meaning of love and the importance of fighting for your spouse no matter the cause. 

Once the last round of champagne had been served and the buffet had come to a close, the guests and wedding party had shuffled out. Ted was outside speaking to someone when a band came down the street. Ted and his parents began handing out party favors to the guests. First, there were one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras wedding beads fashioned for the guests and party. Ted’s family handed out white and black parasols for everyone to carry as well. 

“It’s tradition!!” Ted shouted toward Alexis, “and I am anything but non-traditional” 

Alexis replied, “Baaabe!! This is so sweet!! Look at you and your Mardi Gras spirit for our wedding! I could eat. You. Up!” She booped his nose and took the [wedding beads](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/42/cc/d8/42ccd8009c64eaae8a79871c5c8f0b14.jpg) which read, “**JOIN THE SECOND LINE with TED AND ALEXIS MULLENS!** Grab your handkerchief. Follow the umbrellas. Parade. Wave. Dance. Celebrate!” They each had on a different color of beads and there were enough to throw out into the streets at the crowd as they passed by. "Bead you didn't think I could pull this off, did you?" Ted said and Alexis rolled her eyes at her new husband. Alexis and Ted held their charcoal grey and white umbrellas while holding hands and dancing along to the rhythms of upbeat jazz. The sounds of Cole Porter, Louis Armstrong, Etta James, and other legends filtering through the notes. David was sipping on his tall champagne flute and swinging his hips to the music, Patrick was trying to keep up next to him failing to go at the same rhythm David was going in, but at least the buttoned-up Button tried. 

Once they reached the end of their parade with their Second Line and the last of the champagne was consumed, they all traveled back to their rooms at the [W](http://www.seriouslytravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Exterior2.jpg) on Chartres St. 

Patrick had stashed a few bottles of champagne back in their tiny room at the W and popped them open on their balcony. Ted and Alexis popped over to their room to enjoy the champagne while people watching below. Although Chartres Street didn’t have the same excitement as Bourbon, it was still lovely and David took in all of the unusual tourists flocking down the road. Patrick thought of telling David, for a brief moment that day, ‘to hell with it’ and ‘let’s just get married’ right here in the Quarter.” Patrick wanted to be _married_ to David and not just engaged. He was ready. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

Although Alexis and Ted had just gotten married, they wanted to party all day and all night long with their friends and family in the W and along the French Quarter. That afternoon, after the wedding, was warm enough that everyone had gotten into their swimsuits and consumed large amounts of bubbly around the pool. Everyone lounged in over-sized chairs in the main courtyard of their hotel and then had a few drinks at the bar while talking about anything and everything. Ted liked to call it ‘Schooting the Schitt.’ They were all feeling sexy by the time dusk hit. 

David and Patrick took one more dip in the pool and then headed up the elevator to their room where they enjoyed their bathroom with mirrors on all sides and a glass walled shower. No matter the angle, they both enjoyed a delicious view of each other while sultry jazz tunes played on David’s Spotify list. 

Dusk turned to night and the wedding party was out on the town and gliding easily down Bourbon street. Patrick made mention that he wanted to try a variety of different drinks since he had never traveled to New Orleans before.David took him down the main thoroughfares where he could first try the beignets at Cafe Du Monde, Grenades at Tropical Isle, a Vieux Carre at the Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone, and finally their last stop would be a hurricane at [Pat O’Brien’s](https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/09/37/ea/15/pat-o-brien-s.jpg) on St. Peter Street. They made their way along the streets a little more inebriated after they left each venue, passing by people tossing more beads. David dragged Patrick into one of the gay bars for five minutes so they could get long island iced teas and David could watch his fiance’s ears and cheeks blush while watching all of the men dancing on the bar tops. 

They made their way down Bourbon to St. Peter where finally they reached the glowing courtyard. The place was bouncing in excitement and if you had never been to Mardi Gras, you would have thought it was all happening along Bourbon and inside Pat O’Brien’s. The place was packed and it seemed to David that ‘all the fucking pretty people ended up’ there. Patrick laughed and sipped his Hurricane which had the perfect blend of rum, grenadine, gin, and amaretto. Patrick had devoured about three of them and sent David to get more while he spun his future sister-in-law in the middle of the square. 

David reached the bar again and this time a very handsome early thirty-something approached from behind. “Hey! Swanky party tonight, huh?” The guy asked David loudly, almost crowding him at the bar. 

“Oh! Yeah!” David shouted over the crowd, “it’s almost too loud, can barely hear myself think!” 

“Let me buy you a drink,” said the man. 

This time David had to come clean. “You’d have to get one for my fiance too, he is dancing with my sister on the dance floor over there. If you can call it that!” David exclaimed almost in a flirting manner. 

“Okay, for you _ and _ your fiance!” The man waved over at the bartender for 3 hurricanes. A woman approached David from behind. “Hey tall, dark, and handsome! What’s _your _ name?” 

David blushed. This woman was striking and David gulped audibly. “Uhh, it’s David, and what’s yours?” 

“Jennifer! You should bring your friends over and we can take some shots!” 

David always attracted the finest of strangers when he wore his leather jacket. Tonight seemed to be no different since this handsome man and now beautiful woman were hitting on him. Patrick didn’t want him leaving the hotel wearing it knowing others would hit on David and why not? Patrick knew David was ridiculously hot....the leather jacket just made him irresistible. . He looked back over to the man at the bar. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name. You were so nice to buy us drinks and I never even asked.” David was politely trying to get to know the nice person who had ordered another round. 

“I’m Dustin! It’s nice to meet you, David!” He handed two hurricanes to David and the three of them all went back to the table where Alexis, Ted, Patrick, Twyla, and Stevie were sitting. Patrick was still sipping on his current Hurricane, taking his time with it and David was already guzzling down a new drink. Dustin and Jennifer were on opposite sides and they seemed to know each other and started to buy shots for everyone at the table. Fully satisfied in how much they drank that day, most of them stuck with water except for Patrick and David at that point. 

Conversation flowed easily among their new friends at the table and they all got up to dance. David turned around in Patrick’s arms as Patrick spun him around and round. David’s eyes were heavy and he looked tired, so Patrick took him back over to the table. 

“Drink up, friend!” Dustin called out to Patrick sitting across from him. “You haven’t touched your drink at all, why don’t you like Hurricanes?” 

“Yeah, it's just, David looks like he has had a few too many and I really need to take care of him,” Patrick replied. 

Dustin got up with Jennifer and they headed back over to the bar. 

Drowsy was just a little more than what described David’s current state and by the time Stevie made her way back to the table, David was almost completely passed out. “David! Sweetheart, are you okay?” Patrick asked David and saw immediately something was very wrong. “David, do you understand me? Baby, please, talk to me.” Patrick sounded almost frantic to get David to respond, but David was succumbing to his drunken state. 

Stevie took a sip of her water. “God! What the fuck is _in this?!”_ She said loudly. “That’s the nastiest tasting water I’ve ever had!” Stevie leaned over to grab the Hurricane sitting in front of Patrick. “I need a sip of _this_ so I can get that taste out of my mouth.” 

In that instant, Patrick looked over at the bar hoping to get the attention of Ted or Twyla and instead he saw a look on Dustin’s and Jennifer’s faces that made his skin crawl. It was a look of knowing and feigned apathy. Patrick looked back over at Stevie who had tipped the drink into her mouth and was taking a big sip through the straw, Patrick smacked it out of her hand and then picked up all of the water glasses and dumped them over. 

“What the _fuck_ Patrick?! I was drinking that, thanks!!” She yelled at Patrick with annoyance and incredulity. 

“Stevie,” Patrick said loud enough for her to hear, “how much of that water did you drink and how much of the Hurricane did you have?” 

“I don’t know, not much, why?” She asked and was starting to look concerned. 

“Because I think those _friends_ of ours just laced our drinks with rohypnol and maybe something else since you could actually taste your water. It’s usually tasteless, but you tasted something, yeah?” 

“Yeah, so what’s your point?” “So I think we need to get out of here because you’re going to turn into _this_,” he motioned at David, “and we have about twenty minutes before that happens. Did anyone else drink the water?” He turned back to David. “David, baby, stay with me! Talk to me. Can you hear my voice?” It was useless. David was passed out cold. 

Twyla came back over to the table and said, “Hey guys! That Jennifer chick is _so _ nice, she bought me this fruity mixed drink! It’s called a _Sex on the Beach_ I think! Which reminds me of that time in high-school when…” 

Patrick took the drink from Twyla and immediately threw it on the ground. “Twyla, go get Ted and Alexis, we are getting out of here. NOW. Just do what I say. Don’t take anymore drinks from those people or any people at the bar, okay? I am calling an Uber.” Patrick took his phone out and started up the app, leaned David into his side and started to think about what David drank and who supplied each drink to him. His poor, defenseless David was completely passed out on his shoulder. Patrick tried multiple times to get an Uber to come to their location, but no one could get close to Bourbon Street. 

Twyla came back to the table with Alexis and Ted in tow. 

Immediately, Alexis gathered her brother into her arms. “Oh my _God_, David has been roofied. I have seen this before.” 

Patrick waved that shocking information away from his brain for a minute. “Alexis, you have seen him this way before?” “Yes, I have, and he looks like he will be long gone for a while. God, Patrick, what kind of kinky sex play is this?” 

Patrick huffed and looked directly into her eyes. “This is not a joke, Alexis, we have been targeted, or whatever, and we need to leave. Those people at the bar who came to our table are bad news and we need to get out of here. Ted, no Ubers are coming down Bourbon, so we need to carry David and Stevie has had some too, so you need to keep a close eye on her. We need to stay together.” Patrick was giving David actual water that Twyla got from the bartender. Ted and Patrick took David into the bathroom at Pat O’Brien’s and attempted to get David to throw up in the toilet. They managed to get a little out of his system, but he was still out of it. 

Suddenly, David threw his hands up looking truly terrified. “Get away! I don’t want you, Sebastien! Stop!!” David cried out. 

Patrick tried to soothe him. “David, it’s okay, you’re here in New Orleans with your fiance, Patrick. That’s me.I’m not-” 

“Sebastien, stop _lying!!_ I know it’s you!” David said and he was clawing his way out of the bathroom stall. 

“David, stop you’re hallucinating, it’s us! It’s Ted and Patrick! Please, baby, talk to us!” Patrick could hear the fear in his own voice and he didn’t like it. He was done with celebrating for the night and just wanted to be home with his fiance cradled in his arms. Apparently a simple idea like that was just too much to ask for. 

“I’m not talking to _you_, you hurt me and told me you never wanted to see me again! Leave me _alone_!!” Patrick held onto David and realized things had gone from bad to worse in a matter of moments. Patrick knew David was hallucinating that Patrick was his ex, Sebastien and David needed to calm down. He left David with Ted for a moment and stormed out of the bathroom looking for Alexis. “Alexis! David thinks I am Sebastien, it's all a hallucination, anyway, you need to go in there and talk to your brother. How is Stevie?” 

“Stevie is fine, she looked fine a minute ago anyway. I will go handle my brother.” 

Patrick was at a loss. He took his barely conscious fiance and turned him into a paranoid and delusional human being. _Great_. The next biggest concern was to get their group out of the bar before they all got robbed or taken advantage of by the two creeps who handed the drinks to David. 

Alexis came out of the bathroom with Ted and they were holding up David who passed out again. Patrick was somewhat relieved. “Let’s get out of here, Stevie is fading and we don’t have much time before she passes out too.” 

Ted and Patrick went back to carrying what seemed like a lifeless David while Twyla and Alexis held up Stevie. They looked almost pathetic dragging the two bodies out of Pat O’Brien’s and past the giant fountain which Twyla had to keep Stevie from jumping into. 

Patrick kept looking back behind them and muttered, “Son of a bitch,” as he saw them getting closer and closer to their group, watching them like the creepers they were. They rounded the corner to Chartres Street where the weight was really pressing them all down. Luckily they were getting closer to the W and to a safe place. They saw an officer whom Patrick told the story quickly and as the officer looked behind them, Patrick knew they would be gone. But at the very least, they were safe. 

Patrick called a nearby hospital and told them he needed an ambulance. Patrick didn’t trust anyone but an official EMSA driver to take them to the hospital so David’s and Stevie’s stomachs could be pumped. He didn’t want to risk anything. He took extra precautions to call the police after waking up the Mullens and Roses to let them know about the dangerous night. 

“Awe, cute little Button face, you have _such_ a bleeding heart for my brother. He will be okay. This isn’t his first rodeo with roofies. Believe me. I could tell you countless stories about how-” 

Patrick shushed her and looked sternly at Alexis. “Listen, I know it’s your wedding night and I am really sorry this happened, but please stop telling me stories about him from before...I mean, look at him, Alexis. He doesn’t look good and whatever roofies they gave him, they laced it with a hallucinogen. _Please,_ for me and especially for your brother’s sake, while Ted and I are gone, _don’t move_. Stay _right_ here. Okay? I need you to stay with the Mullens and your parents. Don’t leave this hotel. Ted and I will be back. _Promise_ me.” 

“Okay, Patrick,” she complied and looked bashful thinking how silly she had been to dismiss her brother’s plight. “Okay, don’t worry. You just take care of my brother and Stevie and we will see you back here later.” 

“Thank you, Alexis. I promise. As soon as I have updates, I will text you, okay?” 

“Okay, Button.” 

Patrick left the W riding with Ted in the Ambulance. Stevie and David were on stretchers in the back. Ted was holding Stevie’s hand while Patrick held David’s. “Stay with me,” he muttered while holding his fiance’s hand, brushing his fingers over David’s gently. “Please be okay.”


	2. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second half of the New Orleans journey. 
> 
> David wakes up in the hospital and Patrick is there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to [vanillahigh00](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanillahigh00/pseuds/vanillahigh00). You really helped me get through the last of the "whump".

  
  
It had been what felt like days since Patrick had seen David as his normal self. The reality was that it had only been about 12 hours, but as the minutes went by, Patrick started to worry if David would ever be himself again. In his last conversation with David he was not known as Patrick. He was Sebastian.  


_ Sebastian Fucking Raine. _   


Man, did Patrick hate him. What kind of person could use and abuse another human being? As dramatic as he was, David was the love of Patrick’s life. He just couldn’t fathom how anyone could have treated David that way or how a precious person like David would allow it.  
** **  
** **

Pain ripped through David’s stomach as a dull ache when David Rose woke up. The first thing he saw was Patrick. A smile crept across David’s face as he took in the features of his fiancé. He looked around the room silently taking in his surroundings..

_ A hospital, just my luck and on Alexis’ wedding weekend. _

_ Oh my god. _

_ Well I can move all of my arms and legs, neck, everything seems to be in place. _

Thank god.   
** **  
** **

“My hero,” David croaked out as he decided to finally make it known he was awake.   
** **  
** **

“Oh David, oh my love, you’re awake! I looked away for a second.” Patrick leaned into David and kissed him on the cheek so slightly, as if David was very fragile and in danger of breaking.   
** **  
** **

“Yeah, and I’m sure this episode of Law and Order must be really great,” David replied sarcastically.  
  
“David, do you know who I am?” Patrick looked earnestly into his lover’s eyes hoping for the right answer.  
  
“Of course,” David said with a softened smile, “you’re the...the love of my life, my fiance. Patrick.” A sign came from Patrick that sounded more dramatic than he had expected. Patrick kissed the back of David’s hand and leaned in a little to press his forehead to it, utterly relieved, before speaking.  
** **  
** **

Everything blurted out of Patrick like a muttering toddler. “I haven't really been watching TV, it’s just a distraction. I’ve been so worried, I know it’s not a big deal. You weren’t in danger or anything serious, but if anything were to happen to you David.” Patrick barely got out any of it because his breath hitched, “I don’t know what I would do if anything or anyone hurt you.”  
** **  
** **

“I’m okay. I think. I was drugged wasn’t I?” David said it almost matter-of-factly.   
** **  
** **

Patrick looked down at his own feet. “Yes,” Patrick answered.   
** **  
** **

“That’s what I thought,” David said with a sigh, “Well I’m sure Alexis told you this wasn’t the first time I've ever been drugged.”  
** **  
** **

“Yeah and you know, David, we don’t ever have to talk about that.”  
** **  
** **

“It’s fine,” David groaned as he adjusted in the hospital bed. “Anything interesting happen while I was asleep?” David looked seriously at Patrick and he just shook his head. “No, David, nothing happened.” It was a lie and he knew it.  
  
*************************************  
  
SIX HOURS EARLIER  
  
  
Patrick was falling asleep in David’s private room at the hospital waiting for David to wake up when suddenly he heard a knock at the door. Being almost completely sleep deprived, Patrick grabbed the bridge of his nose, wiped the sleep from his eyes and said, “come in!” He heard the footsteps and said as he was using the palms of his hands to rub his eyes, “but he still isn’t awake.” “Oh,” the voice said, “that’s okay, I can wait.” Patrick was looking down for another moment, then startled, looked up and saw _ Sebastian. _  
  
Oh. Sebastian Raine. As if it couldn’t get any worse.

** **

“What….what are you doing here?” Patrick asked and tried to remain calm.  
** **  
** **

“Well its almost another anniversary of the Katrina storm from 2005, and the magazine I am working for needed some pictures.”   
  
Insistent, Patrick said again, “No, Sebastian, what are you doing _ here, now? _ What even brings you here to this hospital?”   
  
Sebastian was looking around and saw the writing on the dry erase board of the medication David was prescribed for the purpose of ridding David’s body of the toxic drugs. Patrick, being the protective fiance, was done with Sebastian breathing the same air as David. “ _ Sebastian!! What brings you to David’s room?!” _  
  
Startled, Sebastian looked at Patrick and took another step forward. “I know a lot of people in New Orleans, I get around, and I heard Alexis Rose was getting married.The Roses are famous, it’s all over the news.”  
  
“You still haven’t answered my que-”  
  
“I heard at one of the local bars there was someone slipping roofies into a wedding party’s drinks and I just put it all together that it was probably the Roses and then I heard at the bar David called my name.” Sebastian was looking at Patrick with a smug grin that Patrick wanted to slap off of his dumb face.  
  
But all that Patrick could say was, “oh.”  
** **  
** **

Sebastian took Patrick’s speechless demeanor to continue speaking, “Look, I don’t know who _ you _ are, but David and I go way back and-”  
  
“I’m David’s fiance, and since you think you’re such a great investigator, I would like to think you might have known that and would have also known to steer clear.”  
  
“Hmm, _ that’s _ funny, you’re his fiance and yet he was calling out _ my _ name.” Patrick’s blood boiled.  
  
“Because he was delusional,” Patrick interrupted. “David didn’t have any idea where he was because of the hallucinations. Actually, you know what? I owe you nothing. You can _ leave _ . Now.” Patrick’s hands were clenched to the chair’s arm rests to keep himself from wrecking Sebastian’s pretty-boy face.  
  
“I’m not going anywhere,” Saebation retorted.  
  
“Look, you want to know the reason he said your name? David was fearful that you were at the bar and going to take him away from the people he loves. He thought I was you and he began to hit me thinking I was you. Does that answer your question? Because right now I want nothing more than to throw you out of this room. You have no right to be in here.” Patrick stood and faced Sebastian head-on.  
  
“Well,” Sebastian looked over at David and Patrick didn’t take his eyes off of Sebastian, his eyes ablaze in fury. “I guess we will just have to see what happens when David wakes up. Don’t worry, David was always a sure thing. He will probably just want to screw for a little bit and then he can be all yours.”   
  
“That’s it,” Patrick said as he rolled up his sleeves, his face flushed with outrage. “You have said one too many ill remarks about my fiance and you weren’t welcome to begin with, so you’re going to have to leave or I will _ make _ you leave. Is that enough of a warning for you? David doesn’t want you here.”  
  
“Well that’s up to-”  
  
“No, _ David _ doesn’t want you here. If you are here and he wakes up to see you I don’t know what he will do, but I know it won’t be pretty. He doesn’t want you here because _ I _ don’t want you here.”  
  
Adjusting his scarf, Sebastian took another long look at Patrick, “Fine, but I’ll be back.”  
  
“No, you _ won’t!” _ Patrick barked at him. Suddenly, the door swung open and a nurse walked in. “Is everything okay? I could hear shouting.” The nurse was concerned as she spoke.  
  
“No, everything is not fine,” Patrick said. “Kindly make sure this...guy doesn’t come back to this room. Don’t even allow him on this floor. Get security. He isn’t welcome here.” The nurse asked for Sebastian to leave and Sebastian looked over his shoulder to glare at Patrick as he took the steps to leave the room. Patrick stayed locked in position at the foot of David’s hospital bed and waited for the excruciating minutes for Sebastian to be out of the room completely.  
  
Regaining composure, Patrick turned towards David in the bed and rubbed his feet from under the blanket. “David,” he whispered, “please wake up soon. Come back to me.”

  
  
*************************************

  
  
Patrick looked at David again, solemnly, “it’s really not fine, David. You’re worth so much more to me than that. To know that someone could have done that to you, drugged you, on purpose, for any reason, tears me up inside.”  
  
“Patrick, sorry to, uhm, interrupt, but I’m really hungry and I need to eat in like 5 seconds or I’m going to eat this pillow.”  
** **  
** **

“Oh, sure, yeah. Let me just....I’ll get the nurse.” Patrick left the room and David was glad to have changed the subject, although he really was starving.  
** **  
** **

“Hi there, Mr. Rose, I’m Marsha, and since we had to pump your stomach of the substance in your system, we need to go a little easy on that empty stomach. I’ll bring some soup and some macaroni and cheese and we can start there, okay?” Before David could protest such a suggestion, she was out of the room and headed to get his meal.   
** **  
** **

“Marsha? Is what she said? As in Brady? Ew!” David adjusted in the bed again waving his arms in disgust at so many things, like for one, being in an itchy patient’s gown. “When she comes back, there had better be jello.” David groaned like an impatient toddler.  


Patrick laughed, it was a relief to him to have his David back. His sarcastic, extra, beautiful David.   
** **  
** **

Before the nurse came back to the room, Patrick called the Roses to tell them to come to the hospital since David had woken up and could have visitors. He also mustered up the courage to explain to David what happened the night before.  
** **  
** **

“David, I want to tell you I’m so sorry for not realizing what those people were up to at the bar..”   
** **  
** **

“Patrick, you really don’t need to-“.   
** **  
** **

“No, I need to tell you, I’m usually a good judge of character and for some reason I missed the red flags until it was too late. I feel so bad for you and Stevie, neither of you deserved that.”   
** **  
** **

“Patrick...what happened to Stevie?”  
** **  
** **

“Stevie is fine. The couple from the bar, they tried to drug all of us. Apparently the police have been trying to catch this couple for months. hey made some big mistakes last night and got caught. I think one of their biggest mistakes was underestimating me, but that’s not really the point.”   
** **  
** **

Patrick took his time to find the words to explain to David in a way that didn't make him feel isolated or targeted. “It could have happened to anyone, David. We all looked, I don’t know how to put it...”  
** **  
** **

“Expensive,” David breathed out. “I know, especially me, right? I looked like I was rich, because of the clothes or maybe they recognized me..”  
** **  
** **

“No, David, no. This was not just about you. We all looked like we had money and this couple who call themselves, ugh, so ridiculous, The Bonnie and Clyde of NOLA. It makes me sick that people are out there who want to take advantage of tourists like us. ”  
** **  
** **

“I’m used to it,” David scoffed, “it’s just that this time they had it all wrong because we aren’t made of millions like we once were.” As David spoke, his voice became shrill at the end of the sentence.  
** **  
** **

The nurse came in with David’s unappetizing lunch, checked his vitals, and left the room to page the doctor on duty. She did remember the jello.   
** **  
** **

If there had been a proper adjective to describe Patrick’s face full of disgust, outrage, pain, torment, compassion, and guilt, David couldn’t place it. Instead he just patted Patrick’s hand beside him on the bed and said “I can tell you’re really upset about this, but I’m fine. Is Stevie okay? Did her stomach get pumped too?”   
** **  
** **

“Yes, whatever drug they gave you both wasn’t...well….it was bad. It was the rohypnol mixed with a hallucinogen. David, I was so scared, you thought for a little while that I was..” Patrick winced, “Sebastian. You had no idea it was me. I didn’t know what to do, David. I didn’t know if the memory loss and hallucinations would be permanent.” Patrick shook his head back and forth and clasped his hands behind his own head with his elbows on his knees, remembering the doctors saying they wouldn’t know for sure until David woke up if there would be any permanent damage.   
** **  
** **

“No, please don’t.” David reaches over to guide Patrick’s chin up to look at David and David’s face was understanding and fond.   
** **  
** **

“Uhm, I’m really sorry that I called you Sebastian. I bet it broke your heart when I called you Sebastian because you know what I went through with him. Please know I know you’re Patrick Brewer, my wonderful fiancé from Schitt’s Creek. We live together in a small one-bed-room apartment until we have enough money saved for a house. . I can’t wait to marry you in March. It’s going to be a beautiful wedding.” David was telling the story, moving his hands whimsically around as he described each memory and the wedding.  
  
David placed his spoon into his macaroni and cheese, taking a big spoonful up to his mouth and smiling while chewing. It was a simple gesture, but it made Patrick’s heart swell. Not 14 hours ago, David had been trying to fight Patrick in the bathroom, moving his hands wildly into Patrick’s face. It took Ted calming him down and Alexis helping him out of the bathroom with her new husband. It had been such a mess and now Patrick was looking up at David with a new hope that everything would be okay and their vacation wasn’t completely ruined.  
** **  
** **

“Okay David.”  
** **  
** **

“Now, make sure you call the housekeeper to check on Sprinkles, I’m thinking she’s out of Fancy Feast and I don’t know if we bought enough.” David said smoothly, looking away from Patrick, gliding his spoon back into the remainder of the macaroni and cheese.   
** **  
** **

Patrick, wide-eyed looked seriously at his fiancé. “David, we don’t have a cat-“  
** **  
** **

“Gotcha!” David smiled with his mouth in that cute side grin Patrick loved and wiggled his eyebrows. “Sorry, it was getting too serious. I needed to lighten the mood a little bit.”  
  
“Well that’s good because the next thing I was going to say was we definitely don’t have a housekeeper.” David brought his index finger to Patrick’s lips. “Shhh. Okay.”  
** **  
** **

“Okay David,” Patrick leaned back in his chair trying to relax.” whatever you say. I’m just really glad you’re back and you’re normal.” David shot a look at Patrick. “Ew! This is not a normal look for me, thank you very much.” Patrick leaned over, laughed a little, and kissed David’s head.  
  
Helping David to get more comfortable, Patrick pushed the bedside cart from David’s lap, collided his hand into David’s on the side of the bed, and that’s when Stevie came into the room.   
** **  
** **

“Jesus,” Stevie said as she walked briskly into the room. “You are so dramatic, David. I’m already discharged and ready to leave and you’re eating...what is this...jello and applesauce?”   
** **  
** **

“It’s macaroni and cheese and no you don’t get to have the other half if that’s what you were thinking.”  
  
There was a beat and then Stevie was hugging David tightly. A knowing look between David and Stevie was all they needed. They had been through trauma and the great thing about their friendship was that they never had to relive the past or talk about it. Their friendship existed more in what they didn’t say to each other. 

  
*************************************  
  
Stevie left briefly to get a candybar from the vending machine. Patrick took the opportunity to tell another truth.  
  
“There’s one more thing.” Patrick exhaled and closed his eyes briefly. “One more thing I haven’t told you.”  
  
“Oh?” David replied. “What is it?”  
  
“Sebastian was here,” Patrick shook his head as he said the words and pounded his fist into the bedside table. “He was here and I told him to leave and the nurse made sure he left. I don’t know, David, he may even be down the hall waiting for you to leave. I told them not to allow him back in the room. I am so sorry.” It all came out in a rush of words.  
  
“Oh.” David managed. “Well thank you for telling me.”  
  
“It was because he is in town for a photoshoot and when you called out my name…” Patrick couldn’t finish the sentence.  
  
“I understand Patrick, it’s fine. You did the right thing.” David looked down at his feet and moved them a little. “I’m a little embarrassed anyone saw me like this. He’s didn’t take any pictures did-”  
  
“No, David. No. I wouldn’t allow it. He wasn’t in here long and I watched him the entire time. Anyway, if you want to call him or text him, you can if you want to. I just…”  
  
“Patrick, I meant what I said, you’re my hero. Thank you. I never want to speak of him or see him again. You did the right thing.” No truer words had ever been spoken. This was why Patrick was the love of his life. While David was sleeping, Patrick was fighting off the wolves. Who ever did that for him in the past?

  
*************************************

Soon the Roses and Mullens arrived to the hospital just as David was being discharged. Since David had more of the substance than Stevie had, it took longer than expected for David to work the drug out of his system. The Mullens insisted they pay for dinner for both families and their out of town guests which the Roses didn’t mind. David was anxious to get back to the hotel room, back to the champagne and people watching he had enjoyed the day before. All of that seemed like a lifetime ago. If this same situation had played out in David’s life before Schitt’s Creek, he would have been abandoned. Times have changed. Patrick was always there to prove to David he was in this for the long haul.

** **

“In sickness and in health,” David whispered in the car as they headed back to the W on Chartres.   
** **  
** **

“What?” Patrick looked back over to David as they sat in the backseat of the Uber.   
** **  
** **

Concern etched Patrick’s face. “That’s what you’re showing me, right? The ‘sickness and in health’?” David’s words were small, soft, and full of doubt.  
  
Patrick’s thoughts went wild. Do you not realize what I’ve gone through the past 24 hours worrying about you? Do you not care about what happened to you?  
** **  
** **

Patrick squeezed David’s hand hard, but with an assurance David was trying to understand better.  
** **  
** **

“Oh David, the easiest decision was to ask you to marry me. Being here for you or sitting beside you while you were in that rickety hospital bed, it wasn’t a chore. I love you and in loving someone, regardless of circumstance, you’re there for the other person. I hope you realize that not for one second have I ever thought being next to you wasn’t what I absolutely wanted. I hope one day you’ll understand the depth of my love for you.”

He took a deep breath and looked into Patrick’s eyes, “I hope I’ll understand that too. I’m learning.” David’s words echoed the words Patrick spoke on their first date when he told David he was learning about aesthetic and quality products.

David leaned into Patrick, kissed his temple, and gently pushed the side of his forehead into Patrick’s. They got as close as they could in the spacious SUV with their seatbelts on, paying no attention to the Uber driver who had the Beatles greatest hits playing over the speakers. David also wanted to get to a place in his head where he could trust Patrick absolutely and unequivocally. Situations like the night before where Patrick never left his side proved Patrick was better than all the rest. David could hold that in his heart from that day forward.   
** **  
** **

Alexis and Ted arrived back to the hotel earlier than Patrick and David and had delivered white roses to David’s room along with a bowl of fruit to ease the pain in his stomach. On the inside of the card next to the stunning ‘get well’ flowers, the message read;  
  
_ “Normal roses are red and violets are blue, _  
_ but these roses are white, and we’re thinking of you, _  
_ a poem by your new Bro-In-Law. _ _  
_Hang in there big guy! Alexis and Ted.”

** **

David couldn't help but smile at the card, as cheesy as it was and then he laughed thinking of Alexis’ face when Ted was convincing her to let him write it. As thoughtful as Ted was, he knew Stevie had a similar bouquet on her bedside table as well. David kept looking at the roses and thought how pure they were and so delicate.   
  
“They remind me of you,” Patrick murmured into David’s neck as he wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and nuzzled into his neck, “they’re as beautiful and pale as you are.” He was breathing David in. Despite the harsh smells of the hospital, David still smelled like David and Patrick had started to get drunk on his intoxicating man.   
** **  
** **

“Patrick, I really need a shower. I don’t feel like having sex anytime soon. And I’m already shuddering at the thought you saw them pump my stomach,” David said as he started to move away from Patrick.   
** **  
** **

“David, I didn’t see what happened. I just know that’s what they did because the doctor told me. I wasn’t allowed to visit you until they took you to a room away from the emergency floor. Because we’re not...” Patrick hesitated. “We aren’t family, yet, and so I wasn’t allowed to be next to you until after the procedure was done.”   
** **  
** **

“Oh, Patrick, I’m sorry.” David exhaled and then took in another cleansing breath as he digested how soon Patrick will officially be part of his family. 

“No, uhm, it’s probably for the best. I don’t think I would have wanted you to be back there. There are certain things that should remain unseen.” Patrick looked over to the bed which was calling his name. He dove onto the pillows while David shrugged off his clothes and made his way to the shower.  
** **  
** **

Not much time passed before Patrick felt a dip in the bed and an electrifying man beside him, kissing up and down his neck and cheek until Patrick moved his face to lean back and make contact with David’s perfect lips.   
** **  
** **

“So,” David started to say, lightly scratching Patrick’s back in soothing strokes, “you were really scared you were going to lose me?”   
** **  
** **

“Uh huh,” Patrick breathed out, barely awake.   
** **  
** **

“So, uhm, on a scale of, I don’t know, one to ten, how scared _ were _ you?” Patrick opened his sleep-drunk eyes to peer at David’s face and just as he thought, David was trying to hold back a smile.   
** **  
** **

Patrick huffed into his pillow. _ “David, _ I am not having this conversation with you. I was scared, okay? That’s all you need to know.”   
** **  
** **

David wasn’t going to let this go, though, so he tried one more time. “Okay, but you _ were _ scared. Right? _ Right. _ Mmkay.”   
** **  
** **

Patrick with his head still buried in the pillow, grabbed David’s side and pushed David into himself, making them both into an awkward spooning situation. “Shhh David, just lie next to me and let me hold you. Okay? Let’s take a nap. I’m sleepy. I know you are too.”   
** **  
** **

David sighed and although he felt defeated in his attempts to get a real answer, he let himself drift off to sleep in the comfort of his fiance’s arms. Those arms would protect David for the rest of his life, he had no doubt of that.  
** **  
** **

The remainder of their vacation they spent barely touching alcohol, but they tasted all of the best seafood pastas, po-boys, creole, jambalaya, spicy gumbo, and all of the fried food they could get their hands on. They toured the haunted mansions, hotels, and streets, and stopped to listen to the jazz bands, street performers, and attended the last parade of the month. Since  
  
Patrick had never been to a “real” parade, as according to David Rose, David took Patrick to one of the parades that had 107 float carriages located across the Irish Channel along Magazine St. and Jackson Ave. It was the last day of their trip, so David and Patrick took to Magazine and stood along with the NOLA locals who had giant wagons, laundry baskets, ozer-sized totes, and all of their family members gathered to collect.  
  
As the floats came down Magazine, which were massive and filled with dozens of people, Patrick stood in awe as he saw parade volunteers throwing bars of Irish Spring soap into the crowd, specifically into the awaiting laundry baskets and tote bags. There were also volunteers throwing cabbages, potatoes, carrots, squash, zucchini, oranges, apples, lemons, limes, boxes of cereal, candy, bags of chips, and not just _ some _ Mardi Gras beads, but massive heavy bags worth. It was a _ sight _ and Patrick was here for it.  
  
Patrick also found himself reaching out for the decorative light up beads for the kids and other adults. He kept strands that had a light up rainbow and plastic “Pride” text written on it, it was a strand of all of the colors in the rainbow and it made him proud to be wearing such a symbol of love and equality around his own neck. He caught a pair for David that was black and white with hand painted Mardi Gras masks all over it. Most of what David and Patrick caught at the parade, which included all of the food they handed off to the locals who stashed it all in their wagons to take home and feed their families over the next few months.   
** **  
** **

Fully satisfied with their several strands of beads to take back to the hotel and give to their family, they were finally ready to go back home.  
  
At one point on the way back to the W, Patrick took David into a tight embrace outside of one of the bars in the French Quarter and whispered into his ear as he brushed a strand of hair behind it, “Thank you, David.”   
** **  
** **

“For what,” David replied.   
** **  
** **

“For showing me all of New Orleans and making sure I didn’t miss a thing. You pretty much showed me everything. Thank you.”   
** **  
** **

“Well fortunately, I am a generous fiance, and it is the least I could do for my knight in shining armor.”   
** **  
** **

Patrick blushed and David took his arm from around Patrick’s shoulder to turn Patrick’s chin up towards him for a lingering kiss. Although they were still in a town where they could potentially still find themselves in dangerous situations, David and Patrick knew they could count on each other for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, long before their wedding day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We made it! I apologize it took a little longer than expected.

**Author's Note:**

> There will be a couple of chapters to wrap this up. I thought I could do it in one, but apparently this story took a different turn than I expected. 
> 
> The settings are all real and have sentimental value. I also did thorough research on rohypnol. I had a coworker and his fiancé who were affected by roofies and then robbed in the French Quarter many years ago. I personally love NOLA and I was just there for Mardi Gras and it was actually relatively safe, but there are some people who want to hurt others for sport. The W is a beautiful place to stay and I highly recommend it. You won't find a better Hurricane than at Pat O'Brien's. 
> 
> Thank you! Comments and Kudos are greatly appreciated.


End file.
